Police kill suspect in hostage standoff at Sacramento Jack in the Box

SACRAMENTO -- Police fatally wounded an armed robber who had held two women hostage at a Sacramento restaurant, authorities said.

The shooting by SWAT officers Saturday afternoon ended a two-hour standoff at the Jack in the Box in the College Greens Shopping Center.

After receiving reports of an armed robbery, police surrounded the fast-food restaurant and evacuated nearby businesses around 12:30 p.m.

The gunman took two women who worked in the restaurant as hostages.

"The suspect held the victims against their will and forced them around the interior of the restaurant at gunpoint," police said in a release. "The suspect was also seen by officers using a hostage as a human shield."

About two hours after the standoff began, one of the women escaped by running outside to waiting officers.

At that point, officers determined that the remaining hostage was in danger of being shot, prompting the officers opened fire.

The man was wounded and the remaining hostage was rescued unharmed.

"We tried for several hours for this to end peacefully," Officer Doug Morse said. "It's very unfortunate it had to end this way. ... It was a very tense, really frightening situation for everyone involved."

The man was rushed to a hospital where he died. His name was not immediately released.